A complex problem presented for discussion is that of detecting the presence of an object similar to or identical in composition to an object under investigation. For many years, mankind may have used a divining rod, for example, to envision the presence of water under the ground such as farmland and use the divining rod to determine where to dig a well such that an abundance of water could be tapped as close to the surface as possible. Such a divining rod is disclosed in DE4011344 of Reinhard Schneider filed Apr. 7, 1990 and published Oct. 10, 1991. An antenna is disclosed having slidable glides for tuning the antenna to a frequency of interest. The antenna has handles which may be used by a seeking individual to locate an object sought by the process of “dowsing” with the divining rod. Divining rods involve movement . . . one rod rotating relative to another, for example. While perhaps not asserted in certain prior art, allowing for rod motion or so-called dowsing may not be required for operation.
A related game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,950 issued to Venditti Feb. 27, 1973, involving a further divining rod. The divining rod, like that of Schneider, has handles and comprises a rod portion at which distal end is mounted a magnet. The target object is one of a plurality of cards which may mean something to the user which are placed on a board and intuitively selected by magnetic attraction of the divining rod to an allegedly random card of choice.
A well-known detector of metal may be used for sport or for homeland security purposes, for example, to screen passengers at airports. Examples of known metal detectors are described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,192 (the '192 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,065 assigned to Garrett Electronics of Texas and in U. S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2003/00107377 of Jun. 12, 2003 by Uzman and 2008/0094065 of Apr. 24, 2008 to Candy. An available product for combing beaches, for example, for coins is the Garrett Electronics Model ATX “extreme pulse induction” which utilizes a pulse excitation of a coil at an adjustable 730 pulses per second. By way of example, and as discussed in the '192 patent a search coil, operated, for example, at 5 kHz, is positioned above the earth's surface, ferrous (non-valuable) metal may be rejected by receiving and filtering out a known ferrous signal and a receive coil detects desirable metals such as silver and gold. “A change in magnetic coupling” between the transmit and receive coils indicates a desired metallic object.
International publication WO87/00933 published Feb. 12, 1987, by Iain Saul, suggests that, in addition to a receive coil that a capacitive plate may be provided as a receiver; (a transmit coil is used as with metal detection). Saul indicates that the disclosed detector device may locate wall studs (dielectric material) as well as, for example, copper wiring for use in building remodeling.
In practice, known divining rod devices and metal detectors are limited as to the form of matter capable of detection and location and also as to distance from the device. For example, one model of a Garrett Electronics metal detector operates to a depth of ten feet of sand (and may be operated under water).
Most recently, Katz et al., “Direct MD Simulations of Terahertz Absorption and 2D Spectroscopy Applied to Explosive Crystals,” appearing in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2014, vol. 5, pp. 772-776 proposes the use of light to locate specific threatening materials. Pulses are applied by a terahertz frequency carrier to a substance under investigation and a multi-dimensional spectral response is provided that may be linked, for example, to explosive crystals such as RDX and TAPT.
According to quantum physics theory, a perfect black body absorbs all incident radiation (and so is perfectly black). In actuality, matter exhibits black body radiation when stimulated by any source having, for example, a temperature above 0° K. Black body radiation may be passive or actively collected and is known to provide a signature for the matter (material) under investigation. Collecting such a spectrum and matching it to that of a known sample is possible to identify, for example, a like known sample of matter.
The prior art discloses detectors for use in locating metals and dielectric materials. There remains a need in the art to develop a device that detects, senses the presence of and locates matter of practically any kind using, for example, a stationary or mobile method of operation.